Caramelised Capsicum Dip with Philly

2 small tins diced capsicum, not drained
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup sugar (castor, white)
2 tsp crushed garlic

Place all ingredients into a small saucepan and simmer for 10-20 mins until it reaches a consistency similar to honey. Pour over a block of Philadelphia cream cheese and serve with water crackers.

Source: Hutchie

Prawn Kalamaki with Tzatziki and Herb Salad

I'm watching Masterchef at the moment and I'm definitely going to make this for my next dinner party!
Prawn Kalamaki with Tzatziki and Herb Salad

Vietnamese rice paper rolls

2 x 100g packets vermicelli bean thread noodles
1 large (200g) red capsicum, halved, deseeded, thinly sliced
2 medium (200g) carrots, peeled, coarsely grated
1 1/2 cups chopped snow pea sprouts
1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh coriander leaves
1 fresh long red chilli, finely chopped
4cm piece fresh ginger, peeled, finely grated
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons salt-reduced soy sauce
2 teaspoons fish sauce (optional)
12 x 22cm round rice paper sheets
sweet chilli sauce to serve, for dipping

Step 1 Place noodles in a large heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside to soak for 2 minutes or until softened.

Step 2 Drain noodles. Use kitchen scissors to cut into smaller lengths (this will make the noodle mixture easier to combine and divide among rice paper sheets).

Step 3 Add remaining ingredients (except rice paper sheets and chilli sauce). Toss to combine.

Step 4 Using one sheet of rice paper at a time, dip into a bowl of hot water and soak for 30 seconds or until pliable. Place on a clean chopping board or tea towel. Place some of the noodle mixture below the halfway mark of the round, leaving an edge, and fold in both sides. Securely fold the bottom edge over the filling to enclose, then carefully roll to the end. Repeat with remaining rice paper sheets and filling.

Step 5 Arrange on a large serving platter. Serve with sweet chilli sauce.

Variations
Wasabi chicken
Omit capsicum from recipe. Place 250g skinless chicken breast fillet in a frying pan. Cover with cold water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Poach, uncovered, for 10-12 minutes or until cooked through. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside for 10 minutes to cool. Shred. Add to noodle mixture with 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice and 2 teaspoons wasabi paste.

Nori and teriyaki beef
Omit capsicum from recipe. Place 200g sirloin steak in a glass dish. Pour over 1/3 cup teriyaki sauce and add garlic and just 1 tablespoon salt-reduced soy sauce from ingredients list. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Heat a medium non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Spray beef with cooking oil. Cook for 3 minutes each side for medium or until cooked to your liking. Thinly slice and add to noodle mixture with 2 tablespoons quality whole-egg mayonnaise and 1 shredded dried seaweed (nori) sheet.

Ginger and soy pork
Omit capsicum from recipe. Place 200g pork fillet in a glass dish. Combine 1 tablespoon oyster sauce and 2 tablespoons salt-reduced soy sauce and pour over pork, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Heat a chargrill over medium-high heat. Spray pork with cooking oil and grill, turning, for 8-10 minutes or until just cooked through. Transfer to a plate, cover with foil and rest for 10 minutes. Thinly slice across the grain. Add to noodle mixture.

Basil and prawn
Omit coriander from recipe. Add 1/3 cup shredded basil leaves to noodle mixture. Shell and devein 18 medium cooked prawns. Cut in half horizontally. Place 3 halves on top of noodle mixture in step 3.
For great results

The secret of success is to be well organised. Start with a clean bench and have all the equipment out that you will need.
Rice paper sheets come in a variety of shapes and sizes. You can purchase 16cm or 22cm round rice paper sheets as well as square rice paper sheets. They are available from the Asian grocery section of your supermarket or any Asian grocery store.
Nuts such as finely chopped cashews and slivered almonds are great to add to filling ingredients. Other ingredients that can be used in rice paper roll fillings include avocado, bean sprouts, mint leaves, shredded cabbage and shredded lettuce.

Mum's Mexican Layer Dip

1 tub or more sour cream
1 - 2 Tbsp mayonnaise
1/2 - 1 packet taco seasoning mix
- Mix together and spread on plate

1 - 2 Avocados, mashed with lemon juice & a little mayonnaise
- Spread over taco layer

2 tomatoes, deseeded & cut into small pieces
- Layer over avocado layer

Spring onions, finely chopped
- Layer over tomato layer

Top with grated tasty cheese & serve with corn chips

Open roast pumpkin & feta pies

350g pumpkin, peeled, cut into 1cm cubes
2 tsp olive oil
3 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
2 eggs
100ml light thickened cream
100g low-fat feta, crumbled

Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease two 12-hole muffin pans. Place pumpkin on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. drizzle with oil and season. Roast for 20 minutes or until cooked.
Cut 20 rounds from the pastry sheets using a 6.5cm cutter. Press into muffin holes to cover base and a little of the sides. Whisk eggs and cream together. Divide pumpkin among rounds, top with 1 teaspoon of egg mixture, then sprinkle with feta. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden. Cool slightly, then turn out.

Makes 20

Source: delicious. - October 2005 , Page 120
Recipe by Mandy Biffin

Friday, 14 November 2008
I made these for the second time for my birthday party. They are so quick and easy and never last long enough for a second trip around the room. Next time I'll make a double batch because they are always snapped up so fast.

Artichoke Cob Dip

1 cob loaf
200ml sour cream
150-200g mayonnaise
1 small tin water chestnuts, roughly chopped
1 tin artichoke hearts*, roughly chopped
1-3 cloves garlic, crushed
Spring Vegetable powdered soup mix
salt and pepper to taste
sliced french loaf or assorted rolls/bread to serve

Slice the top off the cob loaf, cut into bite size pieces and set aside.
Scoop out the bread leaving a crust of approx. 2cm thick and set aside.
In a large bowl combine the remaining ingredients and mix well.
Pour the mixture into the cob loaf and cover with plastic wrap. Let stand for 1-2 hours.
Cover the scooped out bread with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container to maintain freshness.
Serve with scooped out bread and extra rolls/bread if needed.

* Can also be made with spinach instead of artichoke hearts.

Special K I've made this many times with artichoke hearts and spinach and love it both ways. It's great for entertaining and because you have to prepare it 1-2 hours ahead of time it allows you to make it up and forget about it.

Hoisin and Honey Pork Riblets

1kg pork spareribs, halved crosswise, preferably by a butcher, and cut into individual ribs
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 large garlic clove, minced and mashed to a paste with 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup hoisin sauce
1 Tbs Dijon mustard
1/4 cup white wine vinegar

In a kettle of boiling salted water simmer the ribs, covered, for 30 minutes and drain them well. In a large bowl whisk together the honey, the soy sauce, the garlic paste, the hoisin sauce, the mustard, the vinegar, and black pepper to taste, add the ribs, and toss the mixture well, coating the ribs thoroughly. Let the ribs marinate, chilled, for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Remove the ribs from the marinade and place in a roasting tray covered with foil and cook in the oven for about 45 mins.
The sauce seemed thin so I mixed up some cornflour and added it to the pan. I ended up with a nice thick sauce which stuck to the ribs perfectly. I finished them off under the grill which definitely made a difference to their taste - YUM!!

Grilled Polenta with Balsamic Mushrooms

I often use flat BBQ mushrooms instead of shiitake & swiss brown mushrooms for this delicious starter. Make sure you allow enough time for the balsamic/stock liquid to reduce down to a syrupy sauce for a more intense flavour.

4 1/2 cups (36 fl oz) chicken stock
1 cup (180g/6 oz) instant or regular polenta
40g (1 1/2 oz) butter
1/2 cup grated extra sharp parmesan cheese
sea salt and cracked black pepper
vegetable oil for brushing

Balsamic mushrooms
40g (1 1/2 oz) butter, extra
1 clove garlic, sliced
250g (8 oz) shiitake mushrooms, thickly sliced
250g (8 oz) swiss brown mushrooms, halved
1 3/4 cups (14 fl oz) beef stock
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Place the stock in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to the boil. Pour in the polenta slowly in a thin stream, whisking so it doesn't form lumps. Stir for 5 minutes for instant or 20 minutes for regular polenta or until the polenta starts to leave the side of the pan. Stir through the butter, parmesan, salt and pepper. Pour into a lightly greased 20 x 30cm (8 x 12 in) shallow tin. Refrigerate for 40 minutes or until set.

To make the balsamic mushrooms, heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the extra butter and garlic and cook for I minute. Add the mushrooms and cook for 4 minutes or until golden. Add the stock, vinegar and sugar and simmer for 6 minutes or until reduced by half.

Remove the polenta from the tin and slice into long triangles. Brush lightly with oil. Cook on a hot char-grill for 4 minutes or until golden brown and heated through. To serve, place the polenta on plates and top with the balsamic mushrooms.

Serves 4